Love gone bad showed me a gorgon
by DarkmoonSigel
Summary: Good Omens AU where Crowley is a gorgon who gets injured, and meets a blind man. Title is from a poem called ‘Medusa’ by Carol Ann Duffy.I do not own.
1. One

Crowley looked around her, the Pholóē oak forest so lovely to experience in person.The problem was that every tree looked roughly like the one next to it. For all she knew, the resident dryads might have rearranged the woods out of spite to amuse themselves.

Though Crowley had lived near the Pholóē oak forest for the better part of a century, being a creature cursed by the Gods tended to leave a bad impression on one's neighbors.

"C'mon, I was just looking for something to eat!" Crowley yelled at the flora. The trees rustled back as if in amusement, conforming Crowley's suspicions about the vindictive dryads.

"It's not my fault I turn things to stone!" Crowley tried to reason with the tree nymphs. Of course the dryads were pissed off at her for turning their wayward lovers into statues. They totally ignored the fact that if the nosy bastards hadn't sought the resident gorgon out in the first place, they would still be flesh and bone instead of decorative lawn ornaments.

To Crowley's knowledge, the only living creatures that weren't affected by her cursed vision were snakes. Speaking of which, her longest lock, Zoe, was bumping her cheek with its snoot, trying to get her attention.

"We're not lost." Crowley tried to assure it and the rest of her living hair. Her scaly locks didn't sound like they believed her, if their affronted hissing was anything to go by. "Well, we weren't initially! One of you could have piped up and told me about the dryads moving the forest around on us. Over 30 sets of eyes, and not one of you noticed?!"

Which wasn't being fair to her hair, and Crowley knew it. It wasn't like the dryads gave off heat signatures. They apparently weren't done with her yet, the earth giving way under her feet.

It was a long drop that ended in a hard fall, Crowley's left ankle bone taking the brunt of it. It made a crunching sound that Crowley didn't much care for, the gorgon staying still for a moment as she assessed the rest of her body's state.

"This day just keeps getting better and better." Crowley muttered, finally managing to sit up. Her ankle was a swollen mess of emerging purple and black bruises. It was also definitely broken, Crowley wincing at the odd angle the joint was currently in. Shock was a truly beautiful thing at the moment.

Looking up, Crowley considered crying, but she didn't want to give the dryads any satisfaction. They already had gotten more than enough at her expense. Crowley knew that she was too injured to climb out of the hole on her own. Even if she had two good feet to do so with, the sides were too steep and smooth, the dryads pulling back any roots that could have been used as hand or footholds.

Even if anyone was to come across Crowley in a timely manner before she died from exposure and dehydration, as soon as her would-be rescuer laid eyes upon gorgon's own, they would be turned into stone. That, or they would see her living hair, and know that she would be more trouble than she was worth.

She was going to die down in this hole, a chill running up Crowley's spine as it dawned on her. And to think, the gorgon had survived numerous attempts on her life to end up here. Her snakes must have come to the same realization as well, the gorgon's locks coiling in on themselves in fear.

"None of that." Crowley soothed, or at least tried to. Small blessing it was, she wouldn't have to die alone, Zoe bumping into her mouth. "Yeah, alright. I guess we got nothing better to do."

Crowley was a passable singer, but considering she only sang for herself and the snakes, the gorgon didn't put much thought into what she was actually singing, making it up as she went along At the moment, she was only doing it to calm her hair, but deep down, Crowley hoped that it pissed the dryads off.

Her meandering songs attracted its fair share of animals, little birds alighting on the edge of the hole to peep down at the gorgon. Crowley very carefully did not look up at them, enjoying their company as they sang back to her.

"Nice to have such an appreciative audience for once. Yes, yes, that includes all of you too." Crowley laughed, her snakes bumping her cheeks for attention. She nuzzled them to her cheek, wondering if they would die first, or if they would die all at the same time. The ability to turn people into stone aside, they were good little snakes, Crowley beginning to tear up again as she worried for them all.

"Hello? Is anyone down there?" Said an unexpected voice. It sounded quite near the hole.

"Yes, yes! I'm down here!" Crowley yelled, wondering how the hell she was going to pull this off.

"I'm sorry if this comes off as rather forward, but do you need some help?" Asked the voice. It sounded masculine to Crowley, and very cultured, even if it did ask stupid questions.

"Yeah, no, just thought I'd pop down into this hole today, and break my bloody ankle for fun. I had nothing else going on." Crowley snapped before she could stop herself.

"Oh dear, I didn't mean to intrude..." The voice said, sounding embarrassed about it. It also sounded like it was moving away from her location.

"Don't go! Yes, yes! I need help! Please!" Crowley cried out to end up screaming as she stumbled to her feet to immediately regret it, her ankle reminding her that it was quite broken. She fell face first back into the dirt, her ankle screaming bloody murder at her.

"Don't go. Please don't leave me here." Crowley wept, her thin fingers curling into the earth. It was just her piss poor luck to insult her only potential rescuer. He was going to leave her here to rot now.

"Goodness. That ankle looks a fright. No wonder you're so tetchy." Said the voice from somewhere high above her, but definitely closer.

It must be too dark down here to see her hair, Crowley realized, sitting up carefully to keep her face hidden. Ripping a good measure of clothe from the hem of her dress, Crowley wrapped it around her head for good measure.

"Hush. I need you all to be quiet." Crowley whispered to her snakes, her hair coiling tightly in answer.

"Sorry about before. It's been a terrible day." Crowley called up.

"Quite understandable, my dear. If I toss you down a rope, will you be able to climb out on your own?" The man asked. Crowley wished she could look up at him to get an idea about who the hell she was talking to. It could very well be a faun that the dryads had talked into screwing with her.

"Afraid not. Not on this ankle." Crowley bit out. It was taking everything from her not to give into paranoia and fear. Who the hell carried great lengths of rope around with them on a regular basis, her mind made for questions nagged.

"If I climb down, will you be able to hold onto my shoulders, and allow me carry you up on my back?" The man asked after a moment of thought.

"Yes! Yes, I can do that!" Crowley agreed quickly. If she could just hide her face long enough to get away, this just might work. With growing hope, she watched as a rope was dropped into the hole, the man following soon after it.

Back still to her, the man crouched down, gesturing for her to climb on. "Don't be afraid. I'm stronger than I look." The man said. It made Crowley realize that she had been staring. It had been a few decades of near complete solitude, the monotony only broken up by men looking to make a name for themselves. More interested in taking her head along with her life, these men rarely took the time for make friendly conversation with the gorgon.

Once she got herself situated on his back with her thin arms wrapped around his shoulders, the man secured Crowley to his own body by tying another length of rope around them both.

"Don't want to take any chances with that foot." The man said as he began to climb up. He carried Crowley as if she weighed nothing, the only hindrance being that he didn't want to knock her foot against anything. Crowley still couldn't come up with any reason why this man would be in the woods with so much rope though.

This close to him, Crowley peeked out from under her makeshift hood to view the back of the man's head, deeming it safe enough to do so. It was covered in soft looking white curls that were cropped short to his skull. The man wore a simple white tunic made of the softest material Crowley had ever had the pleasure of feeling. In contrast, it made the ragged dark wool of her dress feel like sandpaper.

Crowley wanted to curl her body around the man, and soak in his warmth, breathe in his scent. He smelled like the nicer things in life, like spices from far off places, honey and wine, and sun warmed leather. The warmth and aromas coming from the man put Crowley into sort of a dull stupor, the gorgon not realizing that her rescue was too soon over with as the man gently set her down on the ground. Her makeshift head covering went along with him as he stood up, the frayed material snagging on something to leave Crowley's face bare and her snakes uncovered.

"Don't look at me!" Crowley covered her eyes as quickly as she could with her hands, dropping back down to the ground.

"Please do get up. It's really not going to be an issue in regard to me, my dear." The man said in a dry tone. Crowley waited for the inevitable panicked reaction to her hair, her snakes staying mercifully quiet for it . It felt like they were waiting for a reaction as well, but to all their surprised, it never came.

"Do you need some help up?" The man said, offering his hands to help Crowley get off the ground. She did so cautiously, using him to keep standing since she was out a foot. He really was stronger than he looked, the man completely unperturbed as he easily took her weight.

"May I pick you up? I promise you that it's an impossibility for I to see you." The man said, politely keeping his head turned away from the gorgon.

It was a touching gesture, Crowley rarely the recipient of such courtesy or respect. "Why is that?" She finally asked, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Her luck usually didn't run this good.

The man slowly turned his face toward the gorgon, gesturing to it. Risking it, Crowley looked, her serpentine gaze met by eyes like pearls, the man's orbs clouded over to a solid milky white.

"Oh thank the gods, you're blind." Crowley said before putting real thought into it. To her surprise, the man started to laugh at her rude outburst. "I mean..."

"That's a much better reaction than the usual pitying remarks I get from others. Thank you, my dear." The man chuckled, his smile having a blinding quality of its own. "While that was most refreshing, why don't you want me to see you?"

"Well...I-I'm quite hideous." Crowley settled on.

"Do tell. You look all right to me." The man made of show it looking Crowley up and down. The gorgon was once again grateful that the man was blind. She was blushing fiercely enough to made her snakes snuggle in tighter to her overheated skin.

"Wait a moment, how did you know my ankle was broken?" Crowley suddenly remembered, waving a hand in front of the man's face to get no reaction.

"Simple deduction, and the fact all my other senses are heightened from being blind. That, and you were also singing a rather loud song about it, and then you yelled at me about it when I first offered you help." The man said as he held out her makeshift headscarf for the gorgon to take. Yet another reason to be grateful that he was blind, Crowley thought bitterly, looking down at the dismal state of her dress, the material threadbare and stained.

It wasn't like she could stroll into a town, and buy proper clothing. Her dresses were usually made from the cloaks of dead men. They were about the only garments that didn't get turned into stone because the would be warriors didn't want any hindrances so they usually took their cloaks off to dramatically fall to the ground before they made the last mistake of their lives

"Oh that...yeah, that will do it." Crowley groaned inwardly as her mind brought up the rope conundrum again. The gorgon told that part of herself fuck right off. If she kept checking this gift horse's teeth, it could end up kicking her.

"I'm surprised you weren't calling for help...?" The man paused, the pair realizing that they hadn't introduced themselves to each yet.

"Crowley."

"Aziraphale. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, though I wish it were under better circumstances." The man said with a gentle nod of his head.

"Quite." Crowley said, patting at her hair down in an attempt to keep it still. All her snakes wanted to cuddle up against her when the gorgon blushed, and that's all she seemed to keep doing around this Aziraphale. She carefully wrapped the headscarf around them, tucking a few stray snakes in. Serpens and Draco, the two littlest in the back, were brats about staying in place.

"Ah, yes, Crowley, there are dryads in these woods. Surely one of them would have heard you." Aziraphale pointed out.

"Yeah, I was afraid of that." Crowley grumbled, "They're the reason that I'm in this mess."

"They did this to you?!" Aziraphale asked, looking quite upset about it for some reason. It took Crowley a moment to realize that the man was upset for her, and not at her. She found it to be a novel sensation as Aziraphale turned to the woods, addressing it. "Is that true? Answer me!"

"Yes." The dryads whispered, their soft words carried to the pair on the wind. The wood nymphs peeked out from their trees, looking nervous about something. Crowley was starting to reassess her rescuer again.

"Why would you do such a thing?" Aziraphale demanded, "What has she done to you to merit what was basically a death sentence?"

"She's a monster. We do not want her in our woods." The dryads murmured, looking more afraid the longer they went on about it. They tried batting their large eyes at Aziraphale, playing with their long silky hair to create the illusion of innocence. It made something in Crowley snap.

"The only monstrous thing I did was defend myself from your lovers after they tried to kill me! The only reason I entered your woods was to find some food." Crowley said in a slow keen voice, her words sharp as razors for weapons. "I assure you, it was not a social call."

"Is what Crowley saying true?" Aziraphale asked, his tone brooking no argument as the wood nymphs hid themselves in their trees. Their branches shook in answer.

"I am so very disappointed in all of you. Just so you know, what is mine and I won't be back here for a long while." Aziraphale said to answering cries of great distress and remorse, all of which were ignored.

"What in Tartarus does that-!" Crowley started to ask, the rest of her words interrupted as Aziraphale easily scooped her up into his arms. "Wait! What do you think you're doing?"

"You can't really expect to put any weight on the foot." Aziraphale said, walking off easily enough. It was like Crowley was light as a feather in his arms.

"Yeah, I get that, but where are you taking me?!" Crowley asked, feeling strangely helpless for the first time in a very long time. Her terrible gaze didn't have any effect on this Aziraphale, and even if she got back on her own two feet, she could hardly get away on the single good one. On top of that, Aziraphale had proven himself to be ridiculously strong. It would not bode well for Crowley if he held any ill intent toward the gorgon.

"We're going to my temple. You can rest there, have something to eat and drink, and we can see about healing your foot." Aziraphale said, finding a path out of the forest with an uncanny ease. Crowley noticed that the dryads did not dare try to rearrange things with this Aziraphale. In fact, the forest seemed wary of the blind man who Crowley was beginning to suspect wasn't really a man at all.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Crowley finally asked, feeling like fate was beginning to work itself all around her.

"Have you done anything to merit my unkindness?" Aziraphale said with a soft smile, the expression tugging at the gorgon's heart.

"That's not the point, and you know it." Crowley spat out, reminding herself not to get attached just because this Aziraphale was treating her with some increment of respect, even going so far to act like she was something precious from the gentle way he held her. It wouldn't last. Crowley wasn't even sure about how it started.

"Others don't treat you very well, do they?" Aziraphale said so softly it made Crowley's eyes well up again so quickly it stung.

"I told you. I'm hideous." The gorgon bit out, quickly drying her eyes, and patting her snakes to keep them still and calm. Zoe kept nudging affection against her temple.

"I have yet to see that." Aziraphale said cheerfully, smiling bright and wide at the gorgon. He looked quite pleased with himself.

"You're teasing me." Crowley tried for grumpy, but came up short.

"Not at all, my dear. Just stating the obvious." Aziraphale said as he stepped out of the woods, and into a clearing. A temple made of snow white marble sat beside a crystal clear lake. The building was not too large to be overly ostentatious, but it also wasn't too small to be overlook either. "Ah, here we are."

"You can't take me in there." Crowley said wretchedly, bringing Aziraphale to a hault.

"Why not?"

"It's my eyes." Crowley geared herself up to get this over with. With any luck, Aziraphale wouldn't hurt her. "I'm cursed."

"Oh dear, that's unfortunate. What does your curse do?" Aziraphale asked, sounding more curious than disgusted or angered.

"I turn people to stone when they look me in the eyes."

"That's horrible!" Was what Crowley expected to hear. "You poor thing. What a dreadful curse." Was not, Aziraphale's entire being full of unexpected compassion as he held Crowley as close to him as possible in a strange all encompassing carried hug.

"I'm going to have to set you down now, my dear. I'll be right back after I make some arrangements within. Does your curse work on animals?" Aziraphale asked, actually appearing distress about the thought of leaving the gorgon.

"Yes. You'll need to send them away." Crowley admitted softly as she was, indeed, gently set down.

"Are there any animals you can look at?"

"Snakes. That's about it."

"I can work with that." Aziraphale said, sounding thoughtful. "I hate to press, but does your curse entail anything else I should know about?"

"I have snakes instead of hair on my head." Crowley said as she tugged the head scarf off.

"Beg your pardon?"

"Here. Just be gentle. They won't bite you." Crowley said, taking Aziraphale's hand guide it to her head, her locks rising up to meet himz

"Oh my! Goodness, what an unusual sensation!" Aziraphale said after a moment of Crowley's snakes all trying to say hello at once. "They were so quiet before! They're making quite the fuss now!"

"They're good snakes. The one curling around your finger is Zoe."

"They're delightful. Do they all have names?"

"It wouldn't be fair if they didn't."

"What is the name of the one thing trying to eat my finger?" Aziraphale asked, his little finger part way down one of the snake's mouth. A little snake was doing its best to treat Aziraphale's finger like it were a dead mouse.

"Oi! Stop that! We have better manners than that, Andromeda!" Crowley glared at the naughty snake, glaring down at it. "And you too, Hydra! I see that look in your eyes."

"Are most of your snakes named after constellations?" Aziraphale tutted at Andromeda as she left off one finger to have a go at another. "It's not going to work, darling girl."

"Yeah..." Crowley said, suddenly feeling very self conscious. She had never told anyone that before.

"I think that's lovely." Aziraphale said with such sincerity that Crowley fell just a little bit more for him.

"Sorry about that. Stop it!" Crowley said, having to tap Andromeda on her snoot, mortified that the snake was going for Aziraphale's fingers again. "I'm hungry so they're hungry too."

"And here I am dawdling while you are in such a poor state. We'll have more than enough time for this later on after you've eaten and such." Aziraphale said as he gently disengaged himself from the excited snakes.

And with that, Aziraphale was gone. He just vanished into thin air, confirming what the gorgon had already began to suspect. It left Crowley unsure of what to do. It didn't help that the shock was beginning to wear off. Crowley was starting to feel everything that was awful about her foot.

Even if she did make it back to her hovel hidden in the foothills of the mountains that bordered the Pholóē forest, Crowley knew that she would be an easy target for whoever came to end her life next.

The sound of wings broke Crowley's train of thought, Aziraphale once again before her like he had never left. The gorgon blinked back tears as she looked up at whatever the hell he was.

"None of all that now. We'll have you right as rain in a moment." Aziraphale said softly, that loving little smile back in place as he scooped Crowley back up into his arms again.

"Who are you?" Crowley asked, staring at the man who was definitely not human.

"I already told you. I am Aziraphale."

"Okay, but WHO are you?" Crowley pressed.

"I am the love child of Hestia, goddess of the hearth, where all stories are told, and my father is Hephaestus who forges all the weapons for the Gods." Aziraphale admitted after a long tentative moment, "I am the god of wordsmiths, of writers and the written word."

"If you're a god, why are you blind then?" Crowley asked despite herself. Being overly curious had landed the gorgon in her current predicament.

"Tedious thing being cursed. Who did it?" Aziraphale said instead of answering.

"Athena." Crowley said in a tight voice, keeping it short.

"Small world. She blinded me as well." Aziraphale was laughing again, the bastard, looking happier than he had any right to, at least in Crowley's opinion.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Crowley offered, trying not to rubber neck as they entered Aziraphale's temple.

"Soon enough. Let's take care of that foot first, and then settle in with some good wine and food."

"Don't threaten me with a good time."


	2. Two

"I'm sorry about this. You can take it off as soon as we get you settled into a room." Aziraphale, the god carrying the gorgon through his temple. Crowley could hear things off in the distance, the sounds of water, and writing, and other people moving about them.

The gorgon could distinctively hear four other people here in this place, and it frightened her. Crowley wondered how many others were here, humans she would have to avoid seeing at all costs to them. The gorgon was unsafe to have around, and humans were unsafe with her.

"It's fine." Crowley muttered. It wasn't. She didn't like this one bit, this strange sensation of being helpless, but the risk was too great to take. Her snakes were torn between watching all the new going-ons around them, and hissing at anyone unfamiliar who got too close, which made Crowley all the more anxious. The gorgon wasn't about to complain about being blind to her sightless host though.

"Here we are." Aziraphale's said, the sounds dying out as they entered a room, the door locked firmly behind them. Crowley was placed on the softest bed that she had the luxury of encountering in almost a century. She wanted to stretch out across its cloud like surface and stay there.

"All I ask is that you don't look up. My birds are roosting up there. It is vital that they stay." Aziraphale said, "I've already told them to give us notice if they need to fly down."

"I'll keep that in mind." Crowley said, wondering why birds were so important to a god of writing. "Doves?"

"Yes, they are. I usually have some quail in here as well, but I've sent them elsewhere since they prefer to walk around."

"Good to know."

"What would you like to do first?" Aziraphale asked, startling the gorgon as he removed the mask for her with care. She blinked owlishly up at the god as Crowley took in her new surroundings while her shameless snakes happily bumping their heads into Aziraphale's fingers to keep his attention. The gorgon allowed it. It wasn't like he could see the blush that seemed to permanently reside on Crowley's face now.

Crowley found herself sitting on a large bed that felt like it was stuffed with wool and feathers, and covered with soft pale blue linens. The room was spacious enough, decorated with simple yet well made furniture. The most distinctive thing about the room though was that every available surface was covered with paper, scrolls, and various writing implements that moved all on their own across fresh paper that materialized out of thin air. There were piles of papyrus scrolls everywhere, some of which piled up high in the corners, practically to the ceiling.

"What's all this?" Crowley asked, picking up a scroll that had just finished itself. The writing was lost to her still, her curse having the side effect of skewing her ability to read anything. Sighing, she put it back down.

"Oh dear, it is rather a mess in here." Aziraphale said with a grimace. "They are the stories that humans write down for each other, all of which are archived here in my temple."

"What? All of them?"

"Any poem, every lyrics, every word created and put to stone, paper, or clay by humans is kept here."

"You are a god." Crowley said, the reality of it dawning on her.

"Yes, I am. Not a particularly flashy one, but I get the job done." Aziraphale shrugged, looking a little embarrassed about something. Crowley had no idea why.

"I haven't had much luck with gods." Crowley mused aloud, sighing inwardly at herself. Luckily, the actual god keeping her company didn't seem to take any offense.

"To be completely honest, neither have I, my dear." Aziraphale said with a chuckle.

"You don't act like a god."

"Known many then?" Aziraphale said with a twinkle in his pearl eyes.

"A few. Enough." Crowley said airily, trying to ignore the panic rising inside of her. It was almost like they were flirting. Were they flirting?

"How'd that work out for you?" Aziraphale said with a smile, his tone equal parts teasing and sweet. Was he flirting back!?

"Rather well, I think. I got a head full of new pets, and have a large collection of terrified looking statues." Crowley made herself do a careless looking shrug as she tried to get a grip. A beautiful kind god was most definitely not flirting with someone like her.

"Do humans try to kill you a lot?" Crowley was asked with such sudden concern that it made Crowley answer more honestly than she liked.

"The first couple of decades were pretty intense, but it eventually tapered off. I put up signs to warn off people. That helped a bit." Crowley said, looking away.

"That was kind of you." Aziraphale said with that gentle smile of his, the one that made Crowley's heart quiver. This all was beginning to be too much for her to handle.

"I'm not kind. Kind is a four letter word to me. I'm a monster." Crowley forgetting herself as she tried to stand, falling back on the bed with a scream. "Fuck, that hurts!"

"Oh dear, let's attend to that first then." Aziraphale said, Crowley found herself being gently picked up again. The gorgon tried not to whimper as she was carried through a series of chambers, all filled with scrolls in various stages of completion. Journey's end was an enclosed natural hot spring, one with high walls, but no roof so that the bather could enjoy the night sky while soaking.

"I'll leave you to it then." Aziraphale said as he set her down at the end, Crowley slipping her feet into the almost too hot water with a happy sigh. The heat helped immensely with the pain, clearing her head a bit.

"You're not staying?" Crowley asked. To her ears, it came out all wrong, holding a breathy quality to it, like she was some wanton maiden. She was, indeed, quite wanton for him, but Aziraphale didn't need to know that.

"I'll be back soon enough. Healing isn't exactly in my wheelhouse so I'm off to see Apollo for a favor. He's been wanting some scrolls of prophecy for a while now. I'll get us some food along the way." Aziraphale said, "Not to worry. I'll get my wiggle on and be back in two shakes of a lamb's tail. I've told everyone here that this room is off limits until further notice."

"Can't you just...?"Crowley mimicked snapping, doing her best to ignore the 'wiggle on' part of that statement.

"Yes, but it never tastes right to me. I prefer humans to make my food. Luckily for us both, I employ an excellent cook." Aziraphale said before he disappeared again to the sound of rushing wings.

Left to her own devices, Crowley stripped down out of her rags, tossing them aside. Easing herself into the wonderful steaming waters, Crowley found a smooth indentation to sit upon, one that allowed one to sit comfortably with the water up to their neck.

The water worked its magic upon her, the gorgon soon dozing off. "May I come in? I promise I won't look." Was what woke her with a jerking start. A glance up at the sky, and at her wrinkled fingers told Crowley that she had been in the hot spring for a long while.

"Shut up, and come on in already, you ridiculous thing." Crowley rolled her eyes. "Why do you have a bat with you?

"Oh, don't worry about him, dear. His eyesight is so bad that your own won't have any effect on him." Aziraphale said, petting the little brown bat clinging to his shoulder.

"Good on him, but that still doesn't answer my question. Why do you have a bat in the first place? You didn't before. Is this some sort of god thing?"

"Yes." Was all Aziraphale said about it, the brevity stated with a strange little smile. Crowley was beginning to collect all of the god's smiles.

Something was going on though, Crowley could feel it, but before she could dwell any further on it, Aziraphale pulled out a bit of shining light from his bag.

"What's that?"

"My favor from Apollo. Would you be a dear, and lift the afflicted leg out of the water?" Aziraphale asked, Crowley doing as she was bid, lazily floating on her back as the god carefully placed her foot into position on his lap. All her snakes reared up to avoid drowning, and to watch as well.

The glowing gold trapped point of power and light was placed to the lumpy swamp of bruises there. Crowley and her snakes hissed in unison as Apollo's favor sunk into her skin, seeping in beneath its surface to glow from within her.

"Does it hurt?"

"Nah, just really warm. Didn't expect that."

"Well, it did just come from the god of the sun." Aziraphale said as he had helped Crowley out of the hot spring so that she stand on her own two feet again, the gorgon finding herself fully healed. The god stood close enough that Crowley's longer tresses of Zoe and Leo kept bumping against his face, making the god smile at them. "There we go. That's better now, right? All tickety-boo."

"How come you're not bothered by them?." Crowley asked, trying to ignore how close Aziraphale was to her, and how naked she was next to him. It wasn't like he could see her, and his touches were hardly the groping kind. If Crowley made herself use a word to describe his touch upon her, about the only thing that came to mind was reverential, and she mostly definitely didn't want to focus on that.

"Because I have some unusual appendages of my own." Aziraphale smiled, giant white wings materializing behind his back. The god stepped back so that he could turn around fully to show them off to the gorgon.

"Are they always supposed to look like that?" Crowley asked after a considering moment.

"Like what?" Aziraphale faked ignorance. Crowley knew what he was doing in an instant. The god gave off the same energy of a small child who had been told to clean their room, and instead shoved everything under the bed, hoping no one would notice.

"A mess." Crowley said in a flat, definite tone that brooked no argument to witness the god slump his shoulders in defeat.

"I'm afraid that they haven't been properly groomed in a long while." Aziraphale sighed, looking over at them more out of habit than actual assessment with his dead eyes. "Do they really look that bad?"

"Obviously." Crowley said, coming to a decision. "Turn around. I'll fix them for you."

"Really? You wouldn't mind?" Aziraphale lighting up.

"How hard can it be? If it doesn't feel right, just tell me what I'm doing wrong, and I'll stop." Crowley shrugged, trying to feign a nonchalant demeanor. She was grateful yet again that Aziraphale couldn't see what a mess he made of her with his casual kindness.

"Oh thank you! It's been bugging me." Azirpahale said as he led them back into the bedroom, before plopping himself down on the floor. "I'll sit on the floor while you sit behind me on the bed. I think that would be easiest."

Settling herself on the bed, Crowley did her best to focus on the unkept wings, and not the god nestled between her legs. Luckily for the sake of her sanity, Crowley soon found a rhythm in it, becoming deeply involved with the process.

"So why did Athena curse you?" She asked as the gorgon rooted out loose matted feathers while Aziraphale made soft sweet little noises that made her insides twist.

"Ladies first."

"Don't start making assumptions about me now. You were doing so well." Crowley said as she poked the back of the god's head with her finger.

"If I were to guess, I'd have to say it would have to do with something you said." Aziraphale said, the god snapping some wine into existence, the pair passing the jug back and forth between them. This was the sort of conversation where wine was needed.

"And you would be right. Let's just say that Athena doesn't appreciate being questioned."

"Athena? The goddess of wisdom? You asked her questions?"

"Yeah, I sure did."

"You seriously questioned the goddess of wisdom? That Athena?"

"Yup." Crowley said, putting emphasis on the 'p' to make it pop.

"Well, I'll be damned." Aziraphale sounded like he was in awe of her.

"It's not so bad once you get used to it."

"Well, do go on, my dear. Don't hold back on my account."

"Apparently if you asked questions a lot, she gets really pissed off. I used to be one of her head priestess before Athena chucked me out of her temple after turning me into an example and an immortal reminder." Crowley finished. "So that's my sad little story. What'd you do?"

"What do you know of Prometheus?"

"Isn't he that Titan bloke that stole fire from the gods, and gave it to the humans?"

"Yes, the very same."

"Whatever happened to him?"

"He's currently chained to a rock, having his liver eaten out of him on a daily basis by an eagle."

"Damn. And I thought I had it bad." Crowley said as she worked on a particularly stubborn patch of broken feathers. The gorgon wondered how long it had been for Aziraphale to let his wings to get in this state of disarray. "What has Prometheus have to do with you being blind?"

"I am the keeper of the written word, of knowledge. After the humans received fire, but they didn't know what they could achieve with it so, so I...um..." Aziraphale stalled, his words quietly trailing off. "Gave it away."

"You what?!" Crowley stared in disbelief at the back of the god's head.

"Gave it away!" Aziraphale said louder this time. "The humans were so cold and miserable all of the time. And there are loads of vicious animals out there, and so I was like, here you go, book about fire and all its uses, don't thank me...Oh, I do hope I didn't do the wrong thing."

"You're a god. I don't think you can do the wrong thing." Crowley said dryly, noting immediately that the sarcasm was lost on Aziraphale.

"Oh, thank you!" Aziraphale said obliviously, "I can tell you that Zeus was so angry with me. My punishment could have been much, much worse, but Athena intervened, staying his judgment upon me. She asked if she could decide it instead. I've been blind ever since. Zeus was ever so pleased with her suggestion. He simply adored the idea of the god of writers being blind."

"I'd say you got off light in comparison to that poor bugger Prometheus." Crowley pointed out though she felt for him.

"Indeed." Aziraphale sighed. Neither of them spoke for a while, each lost in their own thoughts.

"What do you think the bird does all day?" Crowley being the one to break the silence first.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think it waits beside Prometheus for the liver to grow back, or does it go off and do bird things while it's waiting? What do birds do all day?"

"Bloody patient bird." Aziraphale said as he took a long pull from the jug before passing it back.

"The way I see it, the bird is a victim of the gods as well." Crowley pointed out after taking her own. They were both getting rather drunk at this point.

"How so?"

"So Zeus says to this bird, here's deal for you, birdo...

"Eagle." Aziraphale interjected.

"Alright, fine, be a stickler for details. Zeus says, here's a deal for you, eagle?...Happy? Good. The deal is that you get to live forever, isn't that fantastic, but here's the rub, you have to eat the same thing every day for the rest of eternity."

"Hmmm, I see what you mean now." Aziraphale said, "What's that tapping on the back of my head?"

"Andromeda is trying to eat you again. Having a real go at it." Crowley said dryly, the hungriest lock darting after white curls like they were strange fluffy mice.

"Andromeda dear, no..." Aziraphale said, sounding as disappointed as the gorgon felt.

"Yeah, that one's not the sharpest tool in the shed." Crowley sighed, flicking a down feather at Andromeda, the snake snapping it up. She must have liked it because after that, it turned into free for all as the snakes began going after the loose, damaged feathers Crowley kept pulling out of the god's wings. Pyxis, Vela, Tucana, and Musca proved to be the fastest out of the bunch, their maws full of fluff.

"This is why we can't have nice things." Crowley sighed, using Zoe as a ponytail holder as she gathered her lively locks back. Zoe, being the longest of her snakes, wrapped her length around the squirming hoard to keep them contained. "You lot brought this upon yourselves."

"That's one way of getting rid of my feathers. Certainly don't want them laying about." Azirpahale said, going so far as to offer up a fallen feather to Serpens and Draco, the two littlest in the back, who had snuck their way out already. They were peeking over Crowley's shoulder at the god. They both went for the treat at the same time, each tiny snake getting at an end of it to play 'tug' with it. "I really don't mind."

"Yeah, but I do. It's starting to give me heartburn." Crowley muttered, trying not to feel too ridiculously jealous of her snakes. That, and the feathers actually were making her stomach upset. The gorgon hoped that she didn't wake up with a second head, or something worse from vicariously ingesting a god's feathers. "Hold still, damn it. I'm almost done."

"I usually just stuff them into mattress your sitting on." Aziraphale said as Crowley finished up with his wings. Crowley stopped worrying about her guts, and the possibility of an second head as something else dawned on her.

"This is your bed?" Crowley made herself ask, sounding almost normal about it.

"Somewhat. I don't sleep, you see." Aziraphale said with a shrug as Crowley's face caught on fire. "Anathema felt I should have one though, only Zeus knows why."

"You don't have to eat, but you do." Crowley pointed out.

"That's different. Food is fun. Sleeping is boring and a waste of time." Aziraphale remained on the floor, but leaned back as Crowley leaned forward, the pair barely noting it.

"You're an immortal being. You've got all the time in the world." Crowley said as her sharp chin came to rest on the god's shoulder with her arms loosely crossed over his chest.

"That doesn't mean I should waste it." Aziraphale said, reaching up to play with her hands. Crowley noted how well groomed the god's own were compared to hers. His nails looked freshly manicured.

"You're doing it wrong then, sleep that is." Puppis, Orion, Virgo, and Carina busily sliding into Aziraphale's snowy curls, more following them in. They tickled the god, Crowley liking how it felt when Aziraphale laughed beneath her.

"I'll watch you then, and see how it's done...No, no, that came out sounding wrong in so many different ways." Aziraphale chuckled, "Stop that, you rascals. Andromeda dear, you'll have no better luck by trying to consume my ear. It just can't be done, my darling girl."

"You can." Crowley said softly, hating herself for it, sounding so vulnerable."If you like. Stay here, I mean. If you're not too busy doing god things, that is."

"As you wish." Aziraphale said, "Are you alright?"

"Never better. Why do you ask?"

"Your snakes seem rather upset, is all. They're hissing a lot at the moment." Aziraphale said.

"Ignore them. They're just begging for more feathers." Crowley said, rolling her eyes at the snakes. Her answer reminded the god of something forgotten.

"Goodness, you still haven't eaten! I've been a terrible host, letting you groom my wings instead of getting you something to eat!"

"Calm down. It's not a high priority for me." Crowley said, which was unfortunately true. When one looked the way she did, one got used to going hungry, having no easy access to food. If she was being honest with herself, Crowley would much rather be doing anything that involved touching Aziraphale than eating.

"Then I'll just have to make it one." Aziraphale said primly enough to make Crowley roll her eyes at him. "We'll also have to get you some clothing."

Which was when Crowley realized that her front was pressed flush up to Aziraphale's back, the gorgon resting herself upon the warm god like a snake resting upon a sun warmed rock. Her locks were slithering over his head, burrowing through his white curls, Andromeda determinedly attached to his ear lobe. Aziraphale still had her hands in his own, their fingers loosely intertwined.

The gorgon had been slender before Athena cursed her. Bouts of starvation and a reptile's inability to retain large amounts of fat deposits had carved her out into a much sharper shape. Her breasts were barely still there, delicate and well shaped swells. Thanks to the chill coming off the stone, Crowley was aware that her small pink nipples were hard enough to cut diamonds, and they were currently digging into Aziraphale's back.

Crowley wondered momentarily to herself if anyone had ever died from sheer embarrassment alone. Aziraphale didn't seem to mind her being this close to him though so Crowley remained were she was, having no idea how to extricate herself without making it unbearably awkward.

"You're more than welcome to stay where you are. I was just worried about you catching a chill is all." Aziraphale said, the gorgon finding herself covered with god's wings as Aziraphale angled them back. The snakes were very happy about that, hungry little mouths striking in every direction. It was all for naught though. Most of their mouths were much too small for the flight feather and their neighboring secondaries. That didn't stop them from trying.

"Best not. They would pluck you bare if they could, greedy little shits." Crowley said to receive a cheek bump."Not you, Zoe. You're perfect."

"Why don't you choose something to wear while I pop into the kitchen to get us something to eat." Aziraphale said as he snapped his fingers, a chest springing into being at the foot of the bed beside them. It was painted black and red with a serpentine theme.

Crowley was about to comment on that to find the god already gone. The gorgon caught herself in time before she fell face first into the floor, her snakes snapping at a few stray feathers Aziraphale had left in his wake. Rolling her eyes, the gorgon went to investigate the contents of the chest.

In stark contrast to his own simple white tunic and cloak, Aziraphale's tastes in clothing for women ran on the extravagant side, at least when it came to her, Crowley found. She stared down at the rainbow sea of fine garments, exquisitely embroidered peplos, the long tunics wore by women. They were all made out of that incredible soft material Aziraphale wore.

Along with them were many beautifully woven belts of leather and cord, and bejeweled girdles or zones to help fold down part of the peplos so it looked as if it were two pieces of clothing. A small carved box made of marble held an assortment of clasps and pins made from gold, silver, and precious stones to help decorate and alter her new clothing.

There were even sandals for her feet, something Crowley had not been able to wear for decades. The gorgon had gotten used to going barefoot everywhere. Her attempted murderers very rarely took off their sandals before they were turned to stone.

Overwhelmed and unsure, Crowley chose the plainest garment she could find, a peplos in lush black and embroidered gold, and a woven black leather belt. She was still in the process of sorting through the pins when Aziraphale reappeared as suddenly as he left, startling Crowley. As a result she ended up dropping the box, the clasps and sharp pins scattering everywhere across the floor.

"Damn it to Tartarus, don't move. I've..." Crowley started to say as she watched Aziraphale start to step on a pin, but then obviously avoided it as if suddenly noticing it. Like someone with all their senses would.

"You can see!"


	3. 3

"No, I can't" Aziraphale said a little too quickly. There was no scoffing, or offense being taken. The god was more anxious than askance, looking a bit too nervous for Crowley to believe him.

"Yes, you can!"

"I don't!"

"You do!" Crowley crowed, "How are you managing it though?"

"I assure you that these eyes are incapable of sight." Aziraphale said firmly, and Crowley didn't doubt that for a second.

Aziraphale was the god of writers and wordsmiths, and Crowley knew that. The gorgon also knew firsthand that gods were a tricky lot.

"So you wouldn't care if I have a little looking about. I've always wondered what a god's ceiling looks like." Crowley warned, the doves cooing in alarm.

"I would really appreciate it if you didn't." Azirapahle said, the sound of wings signaling that the god had sent his brood away. Azirapahle looked like someone who was doing their best to not appear upset, and failing miserably at it.

Crowley looked around the room for a tell, a clue, anything really. Her serpentine gaze landed on the bat, the one Aziraphale had come into the bath with him, the very same one that flown off his shoulders when the god's wings appeared, the small creature staying near them up on a wall.

"I like bats. Wonderful animals. Marvelous creatures really. All the flying about in the dead pitch black of night while being perfectly fine doing so. I don't know about you, but I'd run into things left, right, and center." Crowley said conversationally as she went over to the bat to gently release it from the wall. Aziraphale made an odd noise, sounding somewhere between dismay and protest, ending in a sigh of relief when the gorgon released the bat back into the wild via the window.

"Best not move. There are pins on the floor." Crowley said flatly, ideas coming together. She watched as she took a step forward, Aziraphale mirrored the motion, taking a step back.

It was an impressive response, especially when one considered all of the variables. Crowley was barefoot on smooth marble stone, her cool scaled footsteps soundless things. She was also very well versed in moving silently, the gorgon's survival usually depending upon it. Even if there were whispers of walking, it would have been drowned out by all the active writing implements constantly scratching words out on paper.

If she was right about her theory though, Aziraphale shouldn't have reacted the way he had.

"You can see, and I believe it has something to do with animals..."Crowley thought out loud, looking around the room, somewhat at a loss. She had been so sure. The observation was interrupted by Zoe and Leo bumping her face, the rest of her snakes going oddly quiet as they did so.

Taking her longest two locks in hand, Crowley carefully looked them over. They seemed fine for the most part. The only thing out of place was that their eyes were pearl white.

"Yeah, no, oh, oh, oh! That's brilliant! You can see me!" Crowley said she watched their eyes turn back to normal.

"Oh gods, you can see me." Crowley said again, quickly experiencing emotional whiplash.

"Yes." Aziraphale said quietly.

"So what was this?" Crowley started to give into the paranoia and anxiety that had been trying to get her full attention since the beginning of this. She was a being cursed by the gods. Nice things just didn't happen to her. It would do well for her to remember that.

"What do you mean?" Aziraphale asked, sounding more confused than Crowley thought he had any right to.

"What are you going to do to me? What game are you planning to make of me?" Crowley put steel in her words, the gorgon feeling cold and empty from the effort. "That's what your kind do to things like me."

"I would never do that."

"Prove it." Crowley all but hissed.

"It may not seem like it, but you actually have the advantage here, the high ground, of you will."

"I'll bite. How so?"

"My existence, as it is, would be forfeit if the other gods found out that I can do what I do." Aziraphale's words came out in whispers, barely heard over the written word. "I would very much appreciate if you stop shouting about it. You never know who might be listening in."

A mind made for answers as well as questions, Crowley realized, for blessed once, that this wasn't about her damn eyes, or even her curse. Aziraphale was scared of what would happen to him if anyone else found out this ability. The gods didn't like loopholes in their punishments, even with each other.

She knew what was wrong with Aziraphale now, what had been bothering her. He was scared of her, scared and forlorn. It was the kind of sadness that ages for too long right beside loneliness.Aziraphale was frightened. He truly was blind.

And there were pins on the floor.

Crowley didn't like that. She didn't like it one bit. She didn't need another reason to hate herself. Whatever tentative feelings she was holding on to were let go, the gorgon taking a step toward the timid god. He didn't move like he had before.

Aziraphale was a gift, a completely unexpected yet breathtakingly beautiful gift. Crowley reminded herself of this as the gorgon quickly picked up all the clasps and pins off of the floor. When she was done, Crowley stood before the still god, reaching out to cup Aziraphale's cheek with her hand. He startled under her touch, but did not draw away from the gorgon.

"Aziraphale, you're safe with me." Crowley promised, looking into perfect pearls for eyes, the only pair she could without consequence. " I'm a monster, but I'm not evil. For what it's worth, I give you my word that your secret is safe with me."

"I should have known you'd figured it out as soon as you told me that you used to be one of Athena's head priestess." Aziraphale huffed, but now leaned into the gorgon's palm. Something in Crowley relented as she did so well until their foreheads rested against each other.

"So sharp I cut myself sometimes." Crowley said by way of apology, wanting to make it up to him. "You can borrow my snakes if you like until your birds come back."

"You don't mind?"

"Wouldn't have offered if I did. It doesn't hurt them, and they like you." Crowley said as her snakes bumped their snoots against anywhere they could reach on the god.

"They do?" Aziraphale said as he went a little cross eyed, staring down Andromeda, who had attached herself to his nose. "She's definitely a fan."

"She would be an even bigger fan if you were small and mouse shaped." Crowley snorted, leaving off of the god's cheek so she tap the voracious snake's snoot. "Stop that."

It was unnecessary, all the snakes distracted by the god borrowing their eyes, Crowley watching with intense curiosity as their eyes changed to a solid pearl white.

"Oh, this is marvelous. I can see everything at once, instead of 'a little here and a little there' patchwork vision." Aziraphale said with a little gasp.

"Sounds like a headache waiting to happen." Crowley said, amused.

"It can be a lot, but it's better than the alternative."

"Don't look at me." Crowley sighed as she noticed Zoe and Leo keeping their heads' position turned toward her.

"Why not?"

"Do I really need to state the obvious?" Crowley said, gesturing to her face.

"Your nose is a bit crooked, but other than that I think it's a rather nice face."

"What in Tartarus do you know? You're blind." Crowley grumbled, but there was no teeth in it. "And my nose isn't crooked."

"It is, but I think it's rather becoming on you. Lends character." Aziraphale said, "May I ask you a personal question?"

"What's stopping you now? Go for broke."

"Do you honestly think you're unattractive, or are you basing your opinion of that off how everyone else reacts to you?"

"Aziraphale, I turn people into stone." Crowley said in a flat tone of voice, though she kindly left off the 'you idiot'.

"Yes, but that doesn't have anything to do with your bone structure, now does it? What your curse does is ugly, not you." Aziraphale said, a fine mirror suddenly appearing beside him. "Come over. Take a peek. Have a looky-loo. What do you see?" He asked.

Peeking through her hands while feeling silly about it, Crowley started small, concentrating on isolated areas that she could handle. Her teeth were definitely sharper, her canines more fang-like in nature, but that was about it there. Her skin was pale, but it always had been. About the only difference was now it was decorated with sprays of scales across it like odd iridescent freckles.

All her hair was gone, but that was a given, save for her eyebrows and eyelashes. Her lively mane was made up of mostly red snakes with black bellies, though the two littlest shits in the back, Draco and Serpens, were white with red bellies. Crowley wondered if they counted as grey hairs.

Her eyes remained as the last time she had seen them, golden and serpentine. Other than that though, Crowley had to admit that she looked mostly like herself. She still had her more normal freckles, dusted lightly over her perfectly normal cheeks, and yes, Crowley noted that she still had a slightly crooked nose, but apparently that lent character to the rest so she let it slide.

She looked...good, though having a bath and a fresh change of clothing did small wonders all on their own. It was jarring how built up everything had become in her own head.

"Oh..."

"Oh, indeed, my dear." Aziraphale smiled gently, "May I admit something somewhat embarrassing to you?"

"Definitely."

"I've been enamored with you for a while now." Aziraphale said, his cheeks starting to pink.

"How long is a while?" Crowley wasn't sure how to handle what was going on. She certainly hadn't expected the word 'enamored' to come up in conversation.

"Five or six decades." The god turning more red the longer Crowley stared at him.

"What?! Why?! How!?" She spazzed.

"I heard you singing from time from time in the woods." Aziraphale said, "I used to have one of my priests lead me out there so I could feel sorry for myself. Occasionally, I would hear you off in the distance."

"Really?"

"Your singing wasn't particularly good, some of lyrics didn't actually rhyme, and you can get a bit pitchy at times."

"No, please do go on. Tell me how you really feel about it."

"But your songs were always so funny and clever. I dearly wanted to know who created them.."

"Have any favorites?" Was all Crowley could think to say.

"This is the song that never ends. It goes on and on my friends. Some people started singing without knowing what it was, and they're still singing it because this is the song that never ends. It goes on and-" Aziraphale sang. To Crowley's annoyance, it wasn't pitchy at all.

"Yes, yes, yes, very catchy, that one. Don't need it stuck in my head again for a month." Crowley interrupted before the damage was done. "I can't believe that one won you over. That song usually has the opposite effect."

"I think it's very charming. Luckily for everyone here, the dryads had already warned my staff of your affliction." Aziraphale said, "I wanted to find you, but not risk anyone else, so I became highly motivated to find a loophole in my curse."

"How did you?"

"Well, it's a touch convoluted so bear with me. I'm the god of writing, all words written by men and gods alike are mine."

Yes, I'm following."

"Words are meant to be seen, seen the reader, but also the writer."

"So if you're the god of writers..." Crowley began to put it all together.

"Then there is no reason I can't 'borrow' my writers' eyes." Aziraphale finished, looking quite pleased with himself.

"Where do the animals come in?" Crowley asked after mulling it over for a moment.

"That's the convoluted part."

"How so?"

"Whose to say animals can't read?"

"No one has proven they can."

"No one has proven they can't either." Aziraphale said, leaving off to start setting up something on a newly created table for them since all the other surfaces were covered by quills and newly branded papyrus.

"That's clever. Well done." Crowley said in approval as she took a seat.

It was a simple lamb and vegetable stew, but it might as well have been ambrosia. Crowley couldn't remember the last time she'd had freshly baked bread, and hot slow cooked food made with great care and consideration. It was a shame that she could only pick at it.

"Do you not like it?"

"It's good." Aziraphale's staring made her continue, even though she didn't want to. "It's just if I eat too much of it, or if I eat it too fast, I'll get sick."

"What will you do if you leave here?"

"If?"

"Slip of the tongue. You're my guest, not my prisoner. You may leave whenever you like."

"I guess I'll go ..." Crowley was going to say home, but an abandoned temple with a front lawn full of impromptu statues wasn't that, not really. It was just some place for her to hide away from the world, to keep everyone else safe from her. "Back. I'll go back when we're done."

"I know we've only just met, but I was wondering if you might consider staying. Here. With me, that is. You could stay here with me." Aziraphale said, his offer sounding lost and small. He sounded like he was expecting Crowley to reject his offer. "If you like."

"You can't have your secret out like that in the world, can you? I might tell anyone." Crowley said, providing some emotional shelter for them both.

"That sounds about right."

You know that it would be smarter to just kill me." Crowley watched as Aziraphale turned pale and uneasy.

"I've never killed anyone before." Aziraphale said quietly, "I don't think I could."

"Lucky me. I guess you're stuck with me then." Crowley smiled, her insides turning into something light as the god smiled back.

"I suppose I am."


End file.
